In The Midst of Words and Pages
by bypaular
Summary: A short story on one of Ayanokoji's trips to the library.
1. Chapter 1

Classes for the day are nearing its end.

Since midterm exams and special exams are still quite far away, most students of Advanced Nurturing High School would normally go to Keyaki Mall or spend time in cafes with their friends after classes. With that said, my own circle of friends which are the members of the Ayanokoji Group are also planning on hanging out. Naturally, we made contact during the class in our phone's chat application and they've decided to grab ice cream and hang out at our usual place. Admittedly, it would be nice to be with them too but there's something else that I'd like to do for today.

I apologized in our group chat and while Haruka was sending glares across the classroom, I slipped out before they could say anything. After all, I'm meeting a certain person today.

I headed towards the library which I have been spending a lot of time with a friend of mine, Shiina Hiyori from Class C.

Hiyori is a bookworm who coincidentally share the same interests as mine when it comes to book genres. While she is a member of the opposing class, I have never felt in our interactions that there was any tension, since we both try not to associate ourselves with class matters too much.

Moving towards the mystery section of the library, I scanned the area for her lone figure, but contrary to my expectations, I found my friend talking to a boy who I vaguely recognize to be someone from Class B. I stood a few feet from them and waited before Hiyori turned around and finally noticed my presence.

"Sorry, was I intruding on your conversation?" I asked her.

"Ah no, you're fine Ayanokoji-kun. That boy is in Class B. Well…he said some weird things, you see," she admitted.

"Weird things? Did he harass you?"

"It isn't something like that…it's just that, he told me he found me uhm…attractive and wanted to ask me out," she looked away in embarrassment.

"I see." Not that I wasn't aware of it until now, but that student indeed has a point. After all, Hiyori has a relaxing aura around her which some guys may find attractive. She's not like Horikita who has an intimidating aura despite having a similar silent trait. Not to mention, her soft facial features are also note-worthy. Having the opportunity to see her up close like this, I have reaffirmed those thoughts of mine.

"So you found someone else you can be with after class then," I teased her a bit.

"You can be surprisingly funny sometimes, Ayanokoji-kun. But I turned that student down earlier."

I feel it would be rude for me to ask the reason so I stayed quiet and grabbed a book from the shelf.

"You're not going to ask me why?" she asked me instead.

"Is it alright for me to ask such a question?"

"I don't mind at all. We're the only ones here anyway," she told me. "The reason I turned him down was because I don't know him that much yet. On the other hand, if Ayanokoji-kun does the same thing I think I would've accepted." She turned to me with a serious expression. Moments later, it broke into a slight smile.

"I just thought I'd return the joke earlier. I apologize if I made you uncomfortable."

While she did clarify that as a joke, I imagined the situation if I were to do that. Certainly, I wouldn't mind if it is someone like her, but then again I feel like I'm being rude thinking about that in the first place. While continuing to check out the contents of the book that I just grabbed, Hiyori had grabbed another book herself.

Sitting next to each other in this quiet, solitary area of the library, we each dove into the world that we chose, until the afternoon sun had eventually set.

Realizing that it is nearing evening, we both set our books down and readied ourselves to leave. Walking in the same direction that we came in, we approached the library exit, the early moonlight reflected in its glass walls.

"Ayanokoji-kun, how do you feel about cliché scenarios in books?" Hiyori suddenly asked.

"I don't particularly mind them, as long as it's interesting," I answered.

"Well, we're about to experience one," she continued. "The door is locked."


	2. Chapter 2

"All we need to do now is wait," I told Hiyori.

After contacting Hirata for help, I returned my phone inside my pocket and sat down on the floor just beside the library exit. Hiyori followed suit, sitting down immediately next to me.

The library in the evening has an eerie aura of solitude around it. Each footstep that we took echoed through the hallway, and probably the whole place too. The silence might be unnerving for someone who is in a similar situation that we're in right now, but personally I welcome it. The raw smell of books now that the air conditioning system isn't interfering with it provides an odd feeling of comfort.

Hiyori suddenly took out one of the many books that make her bag heavier than a normal student's. It was a book by Agatha Christie, a classic in the mystery genre of novel books.

"I figured let's read a little bit more while waiting for help," Hiyori suggested. There was no sign of panic or nervousness in her voice. As Hiyori flipped through the pages of the book underneath the guidance of the moonlight outside, I thought it would be interesting to read through the same thing together. I sat even closer beside her to get a better view of the page, but Hiyori almost jumped up when I did so.

"Ah, sorry, I startled you, didn't I?" I said in an apologetic tone.

"Ayanokoji-kun," Hiyori looked in my direction. "You're really strong and athletic, right? Your arm felt so hard and muscular when you got close to me, it doesn't feel like a normal student's."

"I was blessed by good genes, I guess," I told her my honest feelings on the matter without saying too much.

"You are very good looking too," she softly touched my cheek with her fingers. I can only return the curious and observant stares that her eyes were giving me as her face drew a little bit closer. A few seconds later, she blinked, a look of realization showing on her face. "Ah, I apologize, Ayanokoji-kun. I'm used to blurting out my observations mindlessly. S-sorry for touching you like that," she looked towards her opened book in embarrassment. I simply nodded and tried to maintain the calm atmosphere that we had earlier.

Sitting close like this, we started reading through a page. While the faint smell of books became more distinguishable by the minute, I also became aware of another thing: the fragrant feminine smell that my friend beside me is emitting. I felt my heart race a little bit.

As we flipped through the pages together, at the same time I wondered until when we are going to be stuck in here. It shouldn't take that long to get a teacher if Hirata was already on the move. Help should be on the way any minute now.

"That is an interesting bookmark that you're using," I remarked, pointing to the leaf-shaped object slightly protruding out of the book.

"Ah, this?" She pulled it out just enough for both of us to see the design. "I've been using this one for quite a long time. I've been told to just use a new one instead since it's a bit creased now, but I didn't want to because someone important gave this to me," She told me her story without hesitation. "That's why I didn't want to let it go." She took it out of the book entirely. "Here, Ayanokoji-kun. Use it if you like," she extended her hand holding the bookmark.

"Why would you give this to me? I thought this was important to you?" I asked her as I received the sudden gift.

"Well, it was. But I think it's probably time for me to pass it on. After all, it's also a good luck charm of some sort," she looked at the page where the bookmark was stuck and took note of it.

"If it was indeed a good luck charm, then we wouldn't be in this situation in the first place, you know." I looked outside the library exit for a bit to see if there's anyone coming.

"I consider this situation good luck though. Don't you feel excited getting to experience being locked in?"

Perhaps, she had a point. "I imagine I wouldn't be if I was alone," I answered her.

"Well, that's true, isn't it? It would be unnerving if that was the case. Therefore, I'm lucky to have you here, Ayanokoji-kun. The charm is still working as intended." She gave me a wide, reassuring smile. She looked like an innocent child for a moment.

"I'll take this, then. Thanks, Hiyori."

Hirata, along with Chabashira-sensei came bursting into the library minutes later. Noticing our lonesome figures almost immediately, she motioned for both of us to get out right away. "I hope you haven't done something indecent, Ayanokoji," she whispered as she glanced amusingly at Hiyori walking beside me.

"Since you like to speculate so much, I'll leave it up to your imagination, sensei," I fired back at her.

The next day, I arrived at our classroom just in time for the class to start. As I scrambled to get my books out of my bag, I accidentally dropped the bookmark that I inserted last night in haste. Picking it up, I curiously turned it over and read the single line of text that was printed across the bookmark.

After reading it two more times, I returned it inside my bag satisfactorily.


	3. Chapter 3

Ever since I can remember, I have always loved books.

These sheets of paper that are bound within their covers, they look simple and even boring to most people. I, on the other hand, find them very fascinating. I always wondered how these sheets of paper which are inexplicably turned into a piece of literature can bring a person into another world vastly different than ours, just by the power of a thousand words and countless paragraphs. Isn't that a mysterious and a wonderful thing? Words are indeed very powerful, after all. The possibilities are limitless. The world they create, it could be very dull, dark and lonely, or it could be beautiful, divine and friendly. If there would be a limit, then it would be one's own imagination.

So I started to follow my own path different from most people. I grabbed whatever books I found interesting and read them to my heart's content. I absorbed a thousand words' meaning instead of playing violin. I skimmed through hundreds of pages instead of idly chatting about crushes. I chose to explore entirely different worlds instead of taking in the one I'm living in.

Up until this point, I have been contented just continuing to tread my own path. I have been my own person.

But deep inside my heart, a certain feeling has slowly grown too as I grew older myself. Longing, perhaps? Eh…but, longing for _whom_? Longing for _what_? I have been wondering about these kinds of questions in my head. I only had an idea, but never an explanation.

"…yeah, I liked this one, too," said the boy beside me as I almost jumped up from having my thoughts being suddenly interrupted. He is pointing to the book that we're now both holding together. "Hmmm. A story that is both melancholic but happy," I said as I tried to describe my own thoughts about the piece of literature that we're sharing. He just nodded at me and didn't say anything, but he also didn't need to. I can see in his eyes full agreement.

We've been in the library after the classes ended for the third straight time this week. The boy beside me, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka-kun, is someone who I unexpectedly made a connection with. A connection made because of the similar kind of travel that we did. He's also a boy from a different class than mine.

"…"

I looked back to Ayanokoji-kun. He didn't stand up so we can finally go home for the day, so I found it a bit odd.

"What is it, Ayanokoji-kun?" I somehow felt this was the right question to ask.

"I was just wondering, why you gave me that bookmark yesterday," he answered.

I looked at him in wonder for a second. It's true that I kind of did it in the spur of the moment, but I don't want to tell such an inexplicable excuse. After all, in that moment when I gave him something that I truly treasured ever since I was young, I just had a weird premonition that it would lead me to the answer to that question that I've been pondering about for so long.

"It's a special bookmark that your parents gave you," he added. I just nodded back at him. It was indeed a special bookmark that my parents gave me to show their support when they discovered my love for literature. I have only used one bookmark ever since.

"Like I told you, Ayanokoji-kun, it was a bookmark, but it was also a charm. It worked yesterday, right?" I told him. "It's just that, I want the people that I care about to be happy. You've been a dear friend to me, so I felt like giving it to you makes a lot of sense," I finished.

The truth is, I don't exactly know why either. I just had a feeling that the person before me, the boy who I made an unexpected connection with, is someone who will grow to be significant to me. So giving someone like that a simple gift such as the bookmark isn't such a bad thing.

"Shall we go now? I don't think I can stand being locked in again," I jokingly told him. He finally stood up from his seat. "You're right. Let's go, Hiyori."

We walked in silence as we proceed to return to our dormitory. Side by side we walked, a boy and a girl. Oddly enough, the silence between us felt very comforting. Most people would feel awkwardness in these kinds of moments, but between the two of us, the silence we share is something that I would like to maintain. At the very least, that's what I feel. I wonder if Ayanokoji-kun feels the same way.

He turned his head towards me.

"No matter what the reason, thanks for this gift, Hiyori. I will use it well," he said in a quiet voice. I smiled at him again for the third time today. "You don't need to be so proper like that, it makes me feel awkward, you know? Just tell me when the charm works again, okay?" I answered as a gesture of courtesy.

"…is that so? Very well. Then it just did," Ayanokoji-kun is suddenly staring directly into my eyes.

Realizing the meaning of his words, I couldn't find mine. All I can do is look back, then feel my heart race, just a little bit.

This time, the silence didn't feel very comforting. I can feel myself having a little bit of panic.

"I feel fortunate to have someone I can relate to and share my thoughts with, so I feel like the charm is working as intended, right now."

Aaaaah, so that is it.

The feeling that I've been wondering about for so long. The feeling of wanting for another person to feel the same way as you. Now that I've thought of this, isn't that mysterious and wonderful, too? Like the power of written words. This feeling that is welling deep within me right now, it's equally powerful.

No, maybe more than that, it could very well take me to another world that I haven't been to before. A world entirely different from the ones that mere words and paragraphs can bring me to. A world so unknown, it makes your heart race. I have a strong feeling that this is the case.

Shall I go explore it then?

"Ayanokoji-kun," I suddenly muttered.

"What is it?" he immediately answered.

"Are you free this weekend?" I finally blurted out.


End file.
